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SEC Power Rankings following Week 3 of 2018: Vols still near bottom

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Kai Locksley #1 of the UTEP Miners tries to avoid a tackle from Defensive back Micah Abernathy #22 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Linebacker Jonathan Kongbo #99 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Kai Locksley #1 of the UTEP Miners tries to avoid a tackle from Defensive back Micah Abernathy #22 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Linebacker Jonathan Kongbo #99 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half of the game between the UTEP Miners and Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won the game 24-0. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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The South Carolina Gamecocks are lucky that the Alabama Crimson Tide blew out the Ole Miss Rebels the way they did. That’s the only reason we decided to move these guys up a spot in our SEC Power Rankings. Sure, they also got blown out by the Georgia Bulldogs at home. But Alabama’s all but mercy rule on Ole Miss was way more devastating.

As a result, without playing due to the effects of Hurricane Florence, South Carolina is now No. 10 in these rankings. But at 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference, there’s not a lot that Gamecock Nation has to cheer for right now under Will Muschamp.

It was clear down the stretch of last year that this team was overrated, as they didn’t beat anybody in the regular season with a winning record. So the hype behind them was completely unjustified from the start.

Six wins is still going to be difficult for this team, and considering the fact that they didn’t get to play the Marshall Thundering Herd, that could get harder. They still have the Clemson Tigers as a non-conference game, and the Texas A&M Aggies and Ole Miss Rebels from the West are no gimmes.

But the next three weeks will determine the season. South Carolina has three straight East games to prove they are legitimate. It starts with Road trips to the Vanderbilt Commodores and Kentucky Wildcats and then finishes with a home date against the next team in these rankings.

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